To discuss ways to accelerate action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a sustainable recovery, the EESC Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment held a debate on 15 December in connection with the Europe Sustainable Development Report 2020, published on 8 December. The report is a joint initiative by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), in collaboration with the EESC.
On one of the most important weeks of the year for climate action, with the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the European Council on Climate, and the launching on 16 December of the Climate Pact by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls upon ownership and empowerment of civil society as a precondition to success.
Lutz Ribbe, newly elected president of the Sustainable Development Observatory for the term 2020-2023, shares his views on Sustainable Development, the challenges ahead and the priorities of his mandate.
A short statement by the newly appointed NAT section president (Mr Peter SCHMIDT), highlighting the priorities for his mandate and sharing his vision for a sustainable recovery, post Covid-19.
Poverty and the role of civil society organisations in combatting it will be the focus of his Presidency
With the start of the 2020-2025 term of office of the EESC, Séamus Boland takes over the Presidency of the its Diversity Europe Group. Members confirmed his new role for the next two and a half years during the first group meeting of the new term held today, 27 October. Mr Boland's Presidency will focus on the topic of "Poverty and the role of civil society organisations in combatting it".
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted the opinion 2030 Biodiversity Strategy during its September Plenary session, following the European Commission's communication on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 - Bringing nature back into our lives.
Young people have the right to have a say on matters that concern them. The climate emergency the world is facing today has mobilised millions of young people around the world, many of whom are profoundly affected by the threat it poses for their future. At the same time, it is the young people who have repeatedly demonstrated their energy, creativity and motivation to challenge current unsustainable models and push the decision-makers to adopt ambitious policies. Despite that, a wide gap remains between listening to young people, and actually acting upon their calls and demands.
The TEN section, in cooperation with the Latvian Sustainability Cluster, is organising a forum on Mobility in Europe 2030 – serving sustainability and military purposes on 17 September 2026 in Riga, Latvia. The forum will deliver recommendations, identify investment and regulatory priorities, and clarify implementation pathways. The outcome of the forum will feed into the EESC’s policy work at EU level and provide practical guidance for Member States in advancing climate-neutral, resilient and competitive mobility systems, including strengthened military mobility, in response to evolving geopolitical challenges.
The Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) organised this event in collaboration with the EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group and with the support also of SDG Watch Europe.
